


Never Ever

by wellthatjusthappend



Series: Healing [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Attempted Murder, Depression, Jason the protector, M/M, Recovery, Reference to past rape/non-con, Slow Build, bitterness and grudges, nobody in the batfam is very good at coping mechanisms, storyline blending, the big what if?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-07-14 13:17:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7173368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellthatjusthappend/pseuds/wellthatjusthappend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first taste that Jason got that Robin might not be as untouchable as he'd thought was when Slade tried to take and destroy Dick (and nearly succeeded). The first time he really confronted his anger at Batman and his stupid rule was when he failed to punish the mercenary.</p><p>The second time for both those things was after he died at the hands of the Joker... There would be no third, he swore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> What if the events in Teen Titans weren't so isolated from both their mentors and events in the DCU? What would happen when some of the more serious attacks and events occurred? What if there were more serious things that happened that were never talked about?

Jason yawned and pulled off his shirt. It was sweltering on the Outlaws Island. A dip in the ocean sounded good right about then, but Jason's dislike of being idle and unproductive was deeply rooted in him.

Damn Bat habits were hard to kick.

So he was sorting through piles of things Kori had brought with her from the Titan Tower when she'd left to keep himself busy. Most of it were strange keepsakes that Jason didn't understand the logic of. Like the broken game controller, a sloppily made heart filled with volcanic rock, or stickers for Hive Academy.

Jason put them in careful boxes for when Kori was ready to confront her memories of her time as Starfire.

The hardest part were the things with Dick. A silver bracelet with their names intertwined from when they'd been engaged. Framed pictures of them laughing and kissing. A beautiful ring. Jason hadn't been alive again yet, but the stories he'd heard about the time were odd and didn't fully match up with the Dick he'd known before.

Evidently he'd grown up, and Jason wasn't sure if it was for the better.

Roy said he'd been really different when the red head joined the Titans. Not quite as free as the times they'd worked together as their respective mentors sidekicks. Apparently he'd held his teammates all at arms length. Even Kori who was supposed to be his girlfriend and later fiancé. 'Emotionally distant' was the phrase that had been used to describe him.

Which really didn't mesh with the fierce way he remembered Dick being about, well, everything. He knew on more than one occasion the older Robin had been lectured by Batman about getting too close to people... That he was giving his enemies a distinct power over him by being so obviously attached, particularly to the Titans.

It had stuck out in his head because usually Dick practically worshipped Bruce and his rules- which is why he was the golden boy and Jason was not- but this was something he hadn't been willing to bend on. Bruce and Dick actually had gotten in a fair number of fights over how trusting Dick was about those that he loved.

Once, when Jason had asked why he had to be in a team so far away Dick had confided in him that he was terrified of becoming Bruce. Of living too long in the shadow of the Bat. That he might slowly become that lonely person who was emotionally constipated and seemed permanently set on self destruct.... Well, at least that was Jason's interpretation of what he'd said. Still, Jason hadn't thought it was something he needed to worry about. Dick shone too bright, was too fierce and loving and people oriented to ever be concerned about that light being dimmed by the dark of Gotham or anywhere else. He was the bloody Golden Boy Wonder. The person Kori had fallen fast and hard for despite all the things in her life that said that kindness was only conditional... that even so she'd loved him enough to once fancy the idea of marrying him. Roy himself had confessed to have once had a crush on Dick. Even Jason- well, that had been a long time ago. A different life.

But thinking of the Nightwing he'd encountered a few times since coming back, even he could see something had changed. Dick was still friendly- to people not trying to take down the batman that is- but he didn't seem to really have close friends anymore. All by himself in the dark of Bludhaven... Nightwing still cracked shitty jokes. Still had scandalous relationships with both men and women. But he was aloft, somehow untouchable, a little more bitter, and... Utterly isolated.

Wasn't his business anymore, Jason reminded himself.

He pulled open another drawer and found it stuffed some truly risqué outfits. Jason raised an eyebrow. He wasn't sure if he should make Kori aware of these again. On the one hand, she'd probably adore them. On the other, she'd also wear them out in public. Sighing, Jason set the clothes in a box. She could choose whatever she wanted. Roy might keel over from how hot his girlfriend was and Jason might have to do a lot of damage control over the freaking perverts that Kori most probably would try to incinerate, but it would stay her choice.

"Geez Princess, did you keep everything you received since you came to earth?" Jason muttered as he struggled to open the next drawer which turned out to be stuffed full of letters. Grunting, he decided the best thing to do was pull the whole drawer out and sit on the floor and sort them.  
Most of them were likely junk, but some might be important to Kori so he'd save them.

With a sinking sensation though, he realized that almost all of them were congratulatory wedding letters.. Which was probably why most of them were unopened: If he'd had his wedding called off last minute he wouldn't have wanted to read a bunch of congratulatory letters either.  
These were probably all destined for the trash.

As Jason started to gather them up, a single black envelope fell out of the piles of white and pale pink. It hit the ground with a strangely heavy sound. Jason set down his armful and picked it up.

Why would someone send a black letter for a wedding? Then again, vigilante's often had black sort of humor.

The first thing he noticed was that the letter was unopened like the rest of them and that it definitely had something inside that was solid and small. The second thing was that it was addressed to Starfire... Something that implied that the sender didn't know Kori's true identity, which was weird because unlike most of them Kori hardly kept who she was a secret. The third was that he'd seen a letter like this- this color, weight and handwriting- years ago.

He had been patrolling with Dick after they'd rescued him from Slade. Dick had been pissy because he was on probation and Batman wouldn't let him go out on his own. Jason had paused on a rooftop when a letter had fluttered down from a higher building. It had been addressed to "The 2nd Robin in Gotham" in the same metallic coppery script.

He hadn't gotten to see what was inside because Dick had swung back around to see what the problem was. Unlike Jason, he seemed to know exactly what the letter was and immediately went white as a sheet and snatched it away.

_'This isn't for you, I'll give it to Batman when we get back'_

Jason was pretty sure Batman never saw whatever was inside because he'd found chard remnants of the thing in Dick's fireplace the next morning... Not that he'd been snooping.

Now he cautiously opened it. The letter wasn't addressed to him but he had a feeling... Inside there was a small black and copper USB and note.

' _Something you should know about your husband to be'_

There was no name for the sender.

With a growing sense of trepidation Jason took the USB to one of their disposable laptops and plugged it in. At least if there was some kind of virus on it then the system wouldn't get wiped out. Instead a video popped up: a very young Dick was standing wearing an unfamiliar uniform in front of a figure who was mostly obscured in shadow. Jason frowned as he tried to figure out what this was supposed to be. Dick was tense and agitated, standing with a defiant tilt to his chin that Jason was very familiar with. It was a posture that implied that he was dealing with someone he considered both an enemy and immediate threat. Still, they were just standing there talking about choices. He didn't understand why someone would try and send this to both him and Kori-

_"Strip."_

_"What?!" The young Dick on screen gaped._

_"Your clothes in a pile at my feet."_ The dark figure- who Jason suddenly realized was Slade- clarified _._

_"But... I- Why? And what if one of your minions comes and reports back?"_

_"It is your choice Robin." Said Slade placing his thumb on a button._

_"Fine, fine!!"_ The young Robin had yelled, his cheeks red with shame, hands trembling slightly as he jerkily reached for the clasps of his uniform-

****Bang! Bangbangbang!**

"Jesus! Jay, I heard gunshots- what's going on?" Roy said bursting through the door. 

Jason was breathing heavily, on his feet, smoke curling away from the gun still clutched in his hand, vision a little blurry around the edges with rage. He'd sort of known shit had happened to Dick back then. They'd found him in the aftermath after all. He'd been pissed, but somewhere in his head he had disconnected from the event. Dick was the Golden Boy who couldn't be tarnished, even by something like this. And he'd seemingly recovered fast. Told everyone he didn't remember much. Jason had always doubted that was true, but somehow he'd still thought... he didn't even know what he'd thought. That it was something like losing a fight, or maybe like the back alley encounters they broke up on patrol, or maybe even the meaner cliental that would come around where he and his mom used to work.

Figures: it was Slade Wilson after all, it was bound to be just as sick and twisted and devastating as the man himself. 

That was back when Jason was stupid and still a bit naive and just figuring out that Batman would let injustice slide if it didn't fit his rules.

"Jaybird?"Asked Roy cautiously stepping a little further into the room, "Did you just- shoot the computer?"

"Yes." Jason gritted, snatching away the USB and stomping away.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Roy called, but Jason was really listening too much anymore as he started to throw some supplies and weapons into a bag.

"Gotham." Snarled Jason, "I need to go wring some information about Slade Wilson out of the Bat. The twisted bastard has been allowed to live for too long."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is JayDick, but also not really the focus of this story. Mostly, given how badly the Bat's/ex-Robins are at coping, what might redemption/recovery look like for a vigilante? How would they hold the space for being both a victim and a hero without lines blurring in overly toxic ways? Or perhaps more accurately, how do they deal with the consequences when those lines do get blurred?
> 
> The scene/event referenced is not something you *need to read to understand this story. But I wrote it because I needed to be able to concretely have in my mind what exactly happened and was said so I could more accurately find Dick's voice/feelings during and after so I could more accurately portray things. It's posted here as well for those whom that background is helpful: it's called 'The Breaking of Dick Grayson' and it should be next in the series. It is Rape/Non-Con/Twisted so I wanted to make sure it was skippable for everyone


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you might of noticed, I’m fucking with the timeline a wee bit. Honestly, but the time Red Hood formed the Outlaws I think Tim had already become Red Robin and Damian was in the picture already. However, in this story, Tim hasn’t quite been fired yet.
> 
> Also, you might notice I write Jason a bit younger. A little bit more immature, a little more sarcastic. Every time someone writes a new comic about the batboy’s I swear their age gaps all shift, so in this one Jay is somewhere around 18-19(hard to say because of the time lost in the pit) Dick is 20, and Tim is 14.

Jason scowled up at the murky skies of Gotham. He could already feel the edge of pollution in his throat, especially prominent after the clean air of the island. He’d probably be coughing tomorrow if he didn’t wear his hood, but his body would get used to the poisoned air pretty quickly after that. Home sweet home. Such a shit-hole. But at the end of the day, it was his shit-hole and he’d never been able to stay away for long.

He was sitting on top of the apartment complex owned by one of the local crime bosses that owed him. He hadn’t decided if was going to call in that favor or not. Honestly he didn’t know how long he’d be staying. Flying off the island full of vengeful rage to go get long overdue justice was very well and go in theory, but now that he was here it was a little difficult to know how to proceed.

For instance, he knew he wanted to punch a very specific person in the face, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to do that as Red Hood to Batman, or Jason to Bruce. Possibly both. Or perhaps the question really ought to be, would interacting with Batman or Bruce be more likely to get him the results he wanted. Batman would be easy enough to find: He probably already knew Jason was in town and if Red Hood started to, say, amass a lot of weapons or off a big crime lord or something he was sure to get courtesy call from the Big Bat… probably with little Replacement-Robin in toe. 

Okay, fuck that idea. Jason would probably try and shoot the little pretender if he saw him again. Not that  _ dearest _ Timothy Drake was a  _ bad _ kid that had done anything particularly wrong per say… But damn it! He was the kid that Bruce had replaced him with like he was  _ nothing _ . Like his little stunt as Robin had just been a little internship and it was time hire a new kid, fuck him over, repeat. Jason couldn’t stand it. 

That was not why here here though, Jason reminded himself.

So, since confronting as their vigilante personas would likely only lead to screaming and bullet holes and Jason beat up enough that he probably would even be able hunt Slade down for a while, that left confronting as themselfs. What joy and gladness that would be. God, what if someone tried to hug him? Jason did not do hugs. And what if the replacement talked to him? He might actually find he  _ liked _ the brat. The horror. 

But there would be a higher chance of success and at the end of the day that’s all that really matter-

“What are you doing here?” a cold weight pressed against his neck. He could count on one hand the number of people who could sneak up on him, and even if he couldn’t he’d have recognized that do-goodie-two-shoes voice anywhere.

He was after all, the reason Jason was in Gotham. Though he hadn’t meant to run into him.

“Enjoying the fresh night air, or is that illegal now Dickie-bird?” Jason drawled. The Escrima stick pushed at his throat a little more insistently. Dick probably wouldn’t electrocute him without reason, he was noble like that or some shit. 

“Jason.” Dick growled warningly. ‘ _ Be still my poor maiden heart _ ’ Jason thought sarcastically. How the girls must still  _ swoon _ . He heard that dark and brooding and emotionally fucked was coming into style these days. He was sure Dick and Bruce were so  _ very _ popular. But why brood why you could just shoot your problem in the face?  _ So  _ much better for your mental health.

“Came to talk to B.” Jason decided to go for the truth. Because that was obviously unbelievable.

“Yeah? And what? To try and shoot him again?” Dick asked angrily stepping almost imperceptibly closer. 

“Well, that wasn’t the plan but I make no promises-” Jason began. But Dick made an angry noise in the back of his throat and only years of fighting the man had Jason ducking out to the way in time to avoid being tasered.

“And you guys wonder why I don’t send christmas cards.” Jason muttered kicking out and twisting at the other vigilante. Dick just flipped out the way, his movements as smooth and graceful as they’d ever been. So perfect. So pretty. Goddamned Golden Boy Nightwing. Jason grit his teeth and whipped out a gun. He saw the way Dick zeroed in on the weapon immediately and threw another kick instead. This one landed with a satisfying thump and a huff of breath from the older man. But the next second Dick had grabbed the offending foot before Jason could draw back and was using it to flip the younger onto his back and shifting forward to pin him. 

There was a moment of ‘pretty-sure-I-had-a-wet-dream-about-this-as-a-teen’ when Dick shifted close where Jason could have bucked him off and they could have continued their fight. But thought’s like ‘wet-dream’ and ‘sex’ brought up more recent images he’d seen. One’s from the video he’s reviewed on the way over to Gotham to try and find out anything about Slade from it. He did: That fucker was going to have the most painful death Jason could arrange. And all of a sudden he didn’t have much will to fight Dick right now. Not with his screams and pleas still fresh in his memory.

“Alright you win.” Jason submitted. Dick paused and eyed him suspiciously from behind his mask.

“What’s the trick?” Dick asked suspiciously.

“No trick. I don’t want to fight.” Jason insisted.

“You  _ always _ want to fight.” Dick countered leaning a little more heavily on his chest with his knee.

“Yeah? Sounds about right. Except this time I don’t. I’m really just here to talk to B, and then I’m out of all of you hair again and you lot can go back to playing happy families or whatever you do in your spare time when ‘m not around.” Jason drawled. He was having a little trouble looking at the other. Not because he was disgusted, but because- fuck, it hurt. Dick had been his first Boy Wonder in more than one way. And even if he’d known in his head that Slade had had his way with him, that he’d hurt him, Dick had seemingly bounced back so quickly he hadn’t thought about it too much. He was still that perfect beautiful boy that Jason could look up to and crush on so heavily. To find out someone he cared about so fiercely- back before everything went to hell- had been hurting so intensely and  _ knowing _ that no one had really stepped up to help him. That no one had ever helped him have closure. That that sick fucker had been let to run free and continue to ruin live and that Dick had been ordered to go up against him and confront him over and over despite everything…

“Okay, so, supposing that I believe you, what’s the message? I assure you I can pass it along.” Dick said slowly, still obviously suspicious.

“Not a message. I need information.” Jason snapped, then added, “And I kinda wanna yell at him too. You can’t fill in for that, sorry Dickhead.”

“And why would he give you information when you’ll probably use it to kill people?” asked Dick tightly.

“Fuck, is that really what you guys think of me?” snapped Jason glowering at the older ex-Robin, “I do exactly what you lot do, except sometimes I finish the job.”

“Jason-”

“Fine! Fine, I didn’t want you involved in this, but you’re so goddamned pushy.” snapped Jason and that made Dick draw back a little and cock his head curiously, “I need info on Slade Wilson.”

Dick flinched at the name and Jason decided that it was possible to hate a man with all your heart, mind, and soul.

“Why?” Dick asked and there was such a tightness about his voice, a strain to his calm expression, that Jason couldn’t believe no one had ever called him on it.

“Dick.” Jason began slowly, because he’d know soon enough anyway, and Dick seemed to already know somehow that he wasn’t going to like what he was about to say because he was already drawing away… “Dick, Slade sent Kori the video.”

Jason swore the blood drained from Dick’s face instantly.

“No…” there was an awful, vulnerable, quality to his voice and Jason swore he saw his lower lip tremble for one moment before Dick pursed his lips tightly.

“She didn’t see.” Jason said before the other could torment himself, “I found it before she did-”

“Fuck.” Dick backed away from him. Then stopped dead in his tracks.

“You’re going to show Bruce.” Dick realized suddenly. When Jason didn’t deny it Dick swung a punch at him.

“Dick-”

“No! Fuck, I’ve worked so hard these years to make sure- you can’t show Bruce! Jason, please you saw it, you can’t show him!” Dick yelled. As usual though, his emotion made him sloppy and Jason was able to actually catch him this time and avoid getting punched in the face this time.

“Ow, fuck Dick! You know Bruce had already seen it right?” Jason swore. Dick went very still.

“What?” he asked hollowly.

“That’s part of why I’m so mad at him: he saw and he still didn’t fucking do anything!” Jason snarled. Dick was very quiet in his hold.

“But… how? He couldn’t have. I was watching everything that came in out of the Manor and Cave there was no-” Dick began his voice sounding almost young.

“Dick.” Jason grimaced, “You know we found you that time because even though your Robin uniform had been thrown away you mask was still activate right?”

Dick suddenly drew in a sharp breath and Jason knew in that moment he understood but plowed on anyway.

“Besides the tracker and infrared capabilities the masks also have a live feed connected to them so that Batman can review anything he or one of us saw on a mission back in the Bat Cave later. He saw everything you saw and heard. I didn’t get why he was so frantic and angry back then till I saw you but-” Jason said softly.

“Stop.” Dick said.

“Slade must have realized we were somehow tracking you and not him which is why he left you behind. But Bruce wouldn’t even-”

“Shut up!” Dick yelled at him and suddenly the world was flipping upside down as Jason was thrown over Dick’s shoulder. Jason rolled and came up on his feet ready to block the next strike but it never came. He was met with the sight of an empty rooftop. Dick already long gone.

Jason cursed as he straightened up and rubbed his shoulder. This was not what he’d come back to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter was the scene I had in my head when I first started writing this.


	3. Chapter 3

Since he died, every time Jason returned to the Manor he couldn’t help start questioning all his life choices. No matter how good of a reason he had for being there, the agitation was there. It was almost like an itch. Or maybe a slow suffocation of  _ wrongness _ . Somewhere between ‘ _ this was supposed to be your home’  _ and ‘ _ you don’t belong here and you’re not welcome either’ _ .

Suffice it to say, even if his relations with the Bats wasn’t strained, he still reckoned he’d avoid the Manor.

Jason gritted his teeth and stomped up the driveway from his parked motorcycle. He still thought he would feel better about this if he was breaking in. And how shitty was that? But he decided he wanted to confront the Bat where he couldn’t hide behind any masks. Wanted to look in his eyes when he called him on his bullshit. 

That didn’t stop the flood of excuses that had started to fill his head the moment he set foot on the grounds about why he didn’t have to come. The past was in the past, right? It was shitty, but yelling at Bruce wouldn’t change anything, wouldn’t go into the past and give Dick the help and support that he needed. Just because Jason had been made more fully aware of the situation didn’t mean anything had changed. And who was he to interfere? It wasn’t his business, and the parties involved clearly didn’t want anything to change.

But even if it wasn’t his business it wasn’t okay. 

This silence, this refusal to acknowledge that anything had happened… the Bats were exceedingly good at keeping secrets, holding grudges, and not talking about the elephant in the room. And Jason had enough experience to know that rape was one of the  _ worst _ things to let fester and rot unsaid. 

True justice would not be found if it was never acknowledged that an injustice had been done. 

“Master Jason.” Alfred greeted him, and there was such old sorrow and pain thinly veiled under professionalism it was hard to bear. Alfred was in many ways the most painful part of coming back to the Manor. The one person he wasn’t angry at. That he felt shame over disappointing and hurting with his choices. Who had cared for and nurtured him as a child even when Bruce had faltered in his responsibilities. 

Who had willingly given that unconditional love that always had Jason torn between wanting to cling to him like a child or run for the hills, because fuck if love wasn’t a 1000x more scary than hate could ever be.

“Alfie,” Jason greeted the old butler with a smile that was a little weaker than he’d like, “You been doing alright?”

“As well as can be expected, Master Jason.” the butler sighed deeply, looking at him with a kind of resignation that made Jason’s chest ache.

“Ah, well, that’s good I guess.” Jason rocked back on his heels awkwardly. 

“I suppose,” Alfred began with another sigh as he beckoned him inside, “This answers the question of why Master Bruce practically fled the house earlier for a previously non-existent ‘very important meeting’ at the company.”

“Coward.” muttered Jason darkly, Bruce probably already knew why he was here, “Tell him if he doesn’t get his ass back here, I’m going to go take the batmobile for a spin.”

“At least this time you’d at least be old enough for it.” commented Alfred drily, “I will inform him. I’m sure the idea of the Red Hood operating from the batmobile will be disturbing enough to convince him to return.”

“Good. If he needs extra convincing I’m sure I can kind all sorts of trouble to get into here all unsupervised.” Jason flashed the butler a smile that promised trouble.

“Oh I have no doubt of that, Master Jason.” Alfred agreed before leaving him in a drawing room, “I will be back with tea promptly. And I will remind you that there are still cameras in here.”

“I figured,” commented Jason as the door clicked shut behind the other. It wasn’t locked, but probably because they all knew something as silly as the ancient locks on most of the doors in the Manor would never hold him. Hell, he could probably pop this one open with a credit card. 

Jason glanced at his watch and estimated how long it would take Bruce to come running back. Or come up with some way to try and make him leave. He let his fingers skim over the titled of the books on the walls, trying to keep the agitation of being there at bay by pretending that he was going to ask Alfred to borrow a few of the titles later. As if he wasn’t pretty sure he’d leaving seeing red and ready kill something. 

“Why are  _ you _ here?” came a new voice and only years of practice stopped him from jumping. It  _ didn’t _ stop him from being pissed that little Timmy Stalker had managed to sneak up on him. For one blessed moment he had forgotten that there was a ‘new and improved’ Robin here now.

“Replacement.” Jason acknowledged without looking at the other. Okay, so,  _ maybe _ the kid hadn’t deserved to get stabbed the last time they’d met. It wasn’t exactly Tim’s fault Bruce was a peice of shit, wasn’t his fault that his mere  _ existence _ made Jason feel cheap and insignificant and easily cast aside, unloved and-

“Are you here to kidnap me?” Tim asked bluntly, and Jason was surprised enough to round on him.

“What the fuck?” he snarled making the younger boy flinch slightly before visibly drawing himself up stubbornly, “Is that what you think of me?”

“I-” Tim faltered a little.

“I don’t kidnap kids.” Jason sneered, “Believe it or not, I’m not a monster.”

“But you tried to kill me…” Frowned Tim.

“No, I tried to get it into the head of a prissy little pretender that being Robin doesn’t make you immortal. That Big Bad Daddy Bats won’t always be there to save you.” spat Jason. Well, that wasn’t  _ entirely _ honest. There had been plenty of moments where he’d genuinely considered killing the kid just cuz. But, if he’d really ever decided to kill the little fucker he’d be dead. Batman or no Batman, Jason had more than enough skill to take out a half-trained Robin. He’d wanted to punish the kid, sure, for getting to have everything he’d ever wanted, for being so bright and good that he was easily forgotten. Because he was. When people thought of Batman’s Robin’s they thought of Dick and then skipped right over him to Tim. As if he’d never existed…

“The timing is too perfect.” Tim interrupted shaking his head, his stance still defensive, “Ra’s al Ghul has been making passes for weeks. And everybody knows you’re tight with him and hate me-”

“Wait, what?” Jason interrupted, his brow furrowing, “Ra’s al Ghul is doing what now?”

“You really don’t know?” Tim looked surprised, and man did Jason hate the fact that without the masks all he could see was a nerdy black haired kid with big blue eyes that still held an innocence that had yet to be squashed.

“Kid, don’t know where you got that idea, but Ra’s hates my guts. Talia was the one who pushed me in the Lazarus pit. Pissed the old demon off: sacrilege to have a dirty commoner in the sacred pit blah blah blah.” Jason pointed out.

“Oh.” blinked Tim. Jason gritted his teeth, even though he was telling the truth, the kid shouldn’t believe him  _ that _ easily. That kind of trust would get him hurt or worse. It also pissed him off that he was worrying over his goddamned replacement.

“Why the fuck would Ra’s want to kidnap a skinny little brat like you? I mean, other than the regular old super villain Robin fetish.” asked Jason plopping down on the couch. Towering over the kid was only fun for so long.

“Robin fet-” Tim actually turned pink and looked flustered. Cute, “I, um, don’t think I’m supposed to discuss cases with you.”

“Oh wow, an actual rule follower. Bruce must  _ love _ you.” Jason couldn’t help the way he voice morphed into a little bit of a snarl at the end. Tim looked a little wary, but that was better than the cute-shit thing he’d been doing earlier.

“Bruce’s rules always have very good reasons behind them.” Tim said defensively. 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Jason waved the comment away, “As fun as it would be to see the day you figure out that’s not always true and all, I’m more interested in this Ra’s thing. You don’t have to talk about the case if it goes against your goodie-two-shoes sensibilities or whatever, but I’m bored and Bruce isn’t here yet, so…”

“I don’t know what you want me to say.” admitted Tim shifting a bit to perch on the arm of the couch across from him, “If I’m not talking about this specific case… There's not much to say. Ra’s is just being how he always is.”

“Yeah right, sure Ra's has always been weird about Bruce but he's never really bothered anything with me or Dickie. Maybe got us out of the way sometimes when he wanted a distraction free confrontation with the Bat, but kidnapping? Not us plebeians.” Commented Jason drily. 

“Really? He's always trying to get me.” Tim looked surprised.

“Huh,” muttered Jason, “Maybe because your family’s rich.”

“He’s always calling me ‘young detective’.” Tim admitted, looking flattered of all things. Jason narrowed his eyes, “He comes up with these complicated plots to test me all the time, but lately it’s been like he’s trying to catch me too. I don’t really know why, but Bruce thinks-”

“Hold up right there.” Jason said dangerous raising his hand. He shoved down his irritation when Tim immediately stopped obediently, “You’ve got a powerful psycho super villain that’s developing a complex about you? What the hell is Bruce doing?”

“What do you mean ‘what is Bruce doing’?” Tim frowned, “We’re trying to stop him like we always do with the bad guys.”

“Please tell me he at least doesn’t leave you on your own when dealing with him.” Jason had a very bad feeling about this.

“Splitting up is often the most optimal strategy.” Tim frowned, “It’s fine, I’m never reckless. I’m very careful and Bruce knows I’m capable enough to take care of myself-”

“God fucking damn it kid! It’s not about being capable!” Jason realized he was on his feet when Tim blinked rapidly up at him looking startled, “Do you think I wasn’t “capable”? I had twice as much training as you do! Do you think Dick wasn’t just as capable as half of the Justice League at half their age? He was the fucking Golden Child that never did anything wrong! You think that should have saved him in the end? You think he messed up?!”

“Jason- I don’t know what you’re-” Tim began looking alarmed.

“Sometimes-” Jason snarled, old pain and grief rolling through him, “Sometimes it doesn’t matter. Sometimes nothing is enough. Not all the skill in the world. Not making all the “right” choices… sometimes it’s not enough.”

“Jason.” Jason whipped around to glower at Bruce, who had just come through the door and was staring at him with cold disapproval, “Jason, step away from Tim.”

Jason felt a half hysterical laugh bubbling in his chest at that but he clamped down on it. 

“So you’ll “protect” him from me, but not the people who are a real danger to him?” scoffed Jason.

“You’ve proved yourself a danger to him.” growled Bruce.

“Hah, not like Ra’s al Ghul is.” Jason sneered stepping closer, “You know full well the fucked up things he’s managed to do to  _ you  _ over the years. Or have you conveniently blocked them from your memory like so many other things? If he’d do that to  _ you _ what do you think he’d do to dearest Timmy here, hmm?”

“Jason…” Bruce warned.

“When he’s been broken beyond repair, what are you doing to do? Mount his costume on that wall with a plaque for your own self flagellation and then go find another poor soul to be Robin?” Asked Jason, and behind him he heard Tim suck in a sharp breath but he plowed on cruelly, “Or maybe… you’ll pretend it didn’t happen and push him away to a place where you know there’s no help for him and let him believe it’s all his fault. Make him believe that it was really no big deal and the at he’s weak for not being able to shrug it off. Is that how this is going to go down?”

There was a beat of silence where Jason and Bruce stared hard at each other while Tim looked nervously between the two of them in confusion.

“Timothy. I think it’s best if you go home while Jason and I finish our conversation.” Bruce said at last.

“Oh my god. You’re just sending him back to his folks house with no protection when you know the biggest assassin group in the world, that know his secret identity, is-” Jason began to sneer.

“Perhaps,” Alfred interjected stepping out from the shadows of the doorway where he’d been lurking to calmly step forward and place a tea set on the table, “Master Timothy had best come assist me in the cave for tonight.”

“Perhaps so.” Bruce agreed after a moment. Jason tried not to notice the way Tim curiously looked back at him over his shoulder with wide blue eyes as he was led out of the room with easy obedience.

“God B,” Jason muttered looking away and raking a hand through his dark curls in agitation, “The least you could do after fucking up so gloriously with me and Dick is not to just keep making the exact same mistakes.”

Bruce didn’t seem to have anything to say to that. Just gave a deep sigh filled with sorrow and took a seat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As much as I enjoy swave-secretly-a-dork Red Robin Tim, he goes through quite a long enjoyable phase of just dorky Tim. I was rereading some old Robin comics and just… awkward-child Tim was so glorious.
> 
> Also, just, I've always found Ra's obsession with Tim unbearably creepy. When ever they have an encounter I always just want to put a wall between them like 'nope, nope, nope, do not look at him, do not speak to him, do not so much as think of this child you creep'. I get the feeling that no matter how much Jason originally disliked Tim, he'd have zero tolerance for that bullshit.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can only seem to write in short and random bursts these days. 
> 
> *Not everything that is said with Bruce is what needs to be said. But it will be.

Bruce seemed to have decided his cup of tea was a far better place to look then at Jason. If Jason didn’t already know this was par of course for Bruce when he was feeling guilty, he would have been pissed. Though he was still pissed so in the end it didn’t matter too much.

“I’m not here to fuck around,” Jason said after a moment, “Where’s Slade Wilson?”

“Surely you have your own information networks that could tell you that.” Bruce deflected.

“Tried that, he’s gone dark. But I’m guessing your files are more extensive than mine anyway so-” Jason began crossing his arms.

“I am not about to assist you in committing a murder, Jason.” Bruce finally looked at him, blue eyes hard and cold.

“He deserves it. Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it. He’s way overdue.” Jason threw back.

“Revenge and Justice is not the same thing.” and damn if Bruce wasn’t using the same voice he always did when talking to him as Robin, “We can not make the Mission personal or we lose all objectivity.”

“Oh fuck that, as if  _ any of us _ has ever been objective. Crime is  _ always _ personal on some level, that’s what makes it so destructive.  _ You’re _ the one who taught me that.” Jason glared back.

“Just because we fall short sometimes does not justify abandoning our principles-” Bruce began, the argument sounding well worn from use and agonized brooding.

“Fuck, you want to talk about principles? How about taking down your- your  _ ward’s _ rapist. You were supposed to protect him- all of us- and failing that you were supposed to at least seek justice on our behalf.” Jason spat. He couldn’t bring himself to call Dick Bruce’s son. The word wasn’t quite deep enough for those two. And he never got to see if that was the case, by the time he’d come around, Bruce and Dick’s relationship was one big gaping wound. 

“Dick was very clear he didn’t want to be treated like a child anymore-”

“Oh, don’t  _ even _ -”

“And as such it was his battle to choose to fight or not, not mine.” Bruce said stubbornly, “I wasn’t about to take that power away from him after everything.”

“Please tell me you didn’t say that to him.” Jason said flatly.

“I-”

“Oh, wait, no, I was there: you didn’t say  _ shit _ to him about- about  _ anything _ . Did it cross your mind that he might have been a little emotionally compromised about everything? It’s not always fucking about you! This is about Dick. This is about how you taught him to not acknowledge his wounds and let them  _ rot _ in the dark like shame.” spat Jason.

“Dick knows that I would have assisted however he wished if he had ever asked-” Bruce said stiffly, his eyes flashing slightly.

“Yeah sure. And when has it ever been okay in this household to ask for help? When has vulnerability been treated like anything but worst kind of sin?” Jason shot back, “Your Golden Boy who always follows the rules? Like hell he could have said anything. Not then. Fuck, not even now apparently.”

Bruce’s mouth tugged downward, his expression otherwise blanking in a way that Jason knew meant he’d gotten to him.

“You can’t just.... As Batman, as fucking  _ Brucie _ , you’d  _ never _ treat a victim this way. I’ve seen you- you  _ know _ how to behave with victims. You know how to do that balance of gentleness and bluntness. I know you know-” Jason stumbled in his words slightly staring at Bruce a bit hopelessly. Bruce stared hopelessly back.

“I’ve failed him.” Bruce agreed quietly, “You too.”

Jason nodded. Bruce sighed.

“I don’t know what you’d have me do.” Bruce said.

“That’s a lie.”

“I  _ can’t _ -”

“ _ -won’t.” _

_ “ _ -do that.” Bruce frowned at him.

“So let  _ me. _ Help me put that fucker away for good.” Jason said leaning forward slightly.

“You have to promise me not to kill him.” Bruce said after a beat or two of silence.

“You have to promise  _ me  _ you’re going to call Dick.  _ And,” _ Jason said when Bruce began to open his mouth, “You’re going to take measures to protect Timmy dearest from his “admirer” even if it comes at the costs some “efficiency” of the mission.”

“Jason-” frowned Bruce.

“Bruce.” Jason replied back staring him down.

“Very well,” Bruce said at length, “I believe I have some information that should at least point you in the right direction.”

* * *

 

Jason had been crouching on the top of one of Gotham's outward bound fast moving trains when the figure dropped from an overpass lightly on the car behind him. He tensed up until he recognized it as Nightwing. And even then he didn’t quite relax, especially when the other vigilante waved him into the interior of one of the storage cars away from the howling wind that would steal away the sound of their voices. 

_ ‘Why are you here? _ ’ seemed a bit pointless so Jason just stood in a position that only  _ looked _ relaxed and was really ready for just about anything-

“Bruce called.” Dick said at length.

-except maybe that. Fuck. Dick’s voice sounded  _ wrecked _ . Jason didn’t know what he was supposed to  _ do. _

“Ah.”

“I know you told him to.” Dick continued on.

“Um.”

“And frankly I don’t know if I want to punch you or hug you, little wing.” Dick rasped slightly twisting at his own fingers slightly. And really-

Little wing. Fuckshitdamn Jason was not emotionally rounded enough to deal with his own shit on top of- well, Jason was never completely ready to deal with his  _ own _ shit.

“I’ve heard it’s one of my charms.” Jason said dryly for lack of anything unincriminating. Dick laughed wetly. It was kind of a terrible sound. 

After that there was just a long moment filled with the clatter of the sound of the train wheels and the creak of the storage car and the too uneven sound of Dick’s breathing. Jason wasn’t breathing at all, which he realized when he had to let out a long breath.

“Dickie,” he began gruffly, “Why are you here?”

“You’re going after Slade?” Dick confirmed.

“Yes.” Jason saw no reason for lying.

“I’m coming with you.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I had been letting this story kind of go and focusing on other stories. But. Then I was rereading Grayson and the Nightwing and I just got so angry about how Dick was being repeatedly sexually victimized/violated in situations that were treated like a joke or supposed to be sexy but were kind of disturbing. And I was like, I already have a story with avenging angel Jason let’s put literally everything else on hold and go write another chapter of that.

Jason was never more aware of the fact that he was a fuck-up than at times like these.

Need someone to punch a fucker in the face? He’s your man all the way. Need to offer someone emotional support in a painful situation? Literally anyone else would probably be a better choice. Except maybe Bruce. Or maybe they were equal on that ground. 

Like right then was a great example: Jason was pretending to sleep slumped against the wall of the train car as it rattled down the tracks, literally as far away as he could get from Dick who was sitting on some creates twirling an escrima stick between his fingers. It was silent except for the rattle of the train and the sound of the wind as it whipped past outside. Jason hated that he knew normally Dick would probably be chattering away. That Jason would be wishing for a way to shut him up. 

Now though, all he could think of was how  _ wrong _ the silence was.

“Did you tell people you were leaving?” Jason finally asked giving up the facade of sleep. Just to break the silence, just to hear Dick-

“No.” Dick said raising his head looking like he was wondering why Jason was trying to talk to him too.

“We’re not going to have all your buddies panicking and thinking I kidnapped you or something, right?” Jason asked just to keep the conversation going. Fuck, he was bad at this. He sounded so awkward.

“There’s no one- no. You don’t need to worry about that. If… that’s what you’re doing.” Dick said going back to twirling his escrima stick. This time counter clockwise.

Jason winced. Did he mention he was a fuckup? He was a fuckup. See, he’d known in his head of course that Donna was dead and Garth was dead and  _ Wally _ was dead, and of course Kori and Roy had been with  _ him _ and they weren’t talking to Dick, and there was Barbara but she hadn’t really been talking to any of them much since she’d been shot… fuck fuckity fuck. Topic change?

“Didn’t even talk to Replacement-the-stalker? Are you two tight? Like, worships the ground you stand on and all that?” Jason asked. Internally he made a face. Better topic for Dick? Maybe. Jason? Really really not so much. Topic likely to leave them fighting? Very much so.

“You should be nicer to Tim. He’s a good kid.” was Dick’s predictable response. 

Jason made a face. Dick sighed. 

“Really Jason, I’m hardly the only one he hero worships.” Dick said wearily.

“What? Fuck no, he’s not- he doesn’t-” Jason spluttered. Dick gave him a look, “Maybe he built up some weird ass version of me in the past, but I’m pretty sure I ruined that illusion trying to kill him and all.”

“Yes you did,” Dick said and Jason was surprised to see him smiling at him, “And in some ways he cares for you even more now, for all he is justifiably wary.” 

“Fuck, but that’s not-” Jason struggled. He didn’t know what he was supposed to think besides  _ no, no, no, I’m not worth that. _

“You should give him a chance. If you two got to know each other, I think you’d really like him.” Dick said.

_ ‘But I don’t want to!’ _ The childish part of him yelled. Not an answer Dick would likely accept. 

“Kid must have a fucking deathwish.” Jason muttered not making eye contact. 

“Ah, well, I’ve always thought you’ve got to be at least a little crazy to willingly live the lives we do.” Dick said with a soft laugh.

“A little?” snorted Jason, and was pleased to see Dick smiling in response. Or was he? He was glad Dick was smiling because Dick should always be smiling but on the other hand he didn’t really know how to deal with Dick smiling at  _ him. _

“Tim’s actually pretty cautious normally, which kinda makes the situation funny if you think about it.” Dick said continuing the conversation more easily on his own. 

“There’s nothing funny about the kid lacking a sense of self preservation,” Jason couldn’t help but say darkly, “We don’t need any more dead Robin’s.”

That wiped the smile off Dick’s face.

“No.” He said quietly, “there really really doesn’t.”

Silence, and Jason was back to contemplating why he was so bad at this shit.

“So, is it weird that I think it’s weird the Replacement still has parents? Because I think it’s totally weird.” Jason commented. 

“They travel a lot so Tim has lots of time to spend over at the Manor training.” Dick said.

“Sound like useless bags of shit.” Jason sneered. 

“Jason.” Dick scolded, though he didn’t sound like he disagreed. 

“People like them don’t deserve kids. If they’re not going to care for them why do they even- gah.” Jason ground his teeth. Getting angry over the replacement again. So frustrating.

“It’s not your business Jason. When it’s so personal sometimes you’ve got to let a person deal with their own problems.” Dick insisted.

“Is that how you sleep at night? Because dealing with personal problems that big all by yourself has worked  _ so _ well for you.” Jason regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. Regretted them as soon as he saw the flash of pain on Dick’s face. 

Silence. 

“I really am mostly over what happened, Jason.” Dick said quietly, “It was a long time ago.”

“Hah,” Jason gave him a look. He’d seen how Dick had reacted when he’d heard Jason had seen. When Bruce had called him. Even absent, Slade was still hurting Dick. 

“It’s in the past,” Dick insisted, “I’ve moved on. I don’t think about it much, honestly. That time was just a little more… it was something that was designed to hurt and mess me up rather than the other times where- I mean, it was just easier to deal with since Slade was so straightforward about everything. Bad guy = something I can fight so he doesn’t win. And I have won. Do I look sexually repressed to you? I’ve had great relationship with both men and women.”

“What do you mean, ‘other times’?” Jason asked dangerous.

“Oh… well, you know. Sometimes people would- they have- And I really don’t want to want to sleep with them but then they- Just, um. Slade was less confusing. It was messed up, but I can separate out in my head a little more because he was evil and he was very clearly making me. Whereas the other times just made me feel gross and never quite sure if it was my fault or not.” Dick said holding one hand in the other and rubbing at it pseudo comfort in a move that Jason knew meant Dick was wishing for physical comfort. But Jason wasn’t the kind of person who knew how to offer that. Not in all the safe healthy ways Dick probably needed.

So fucking useless, he cursed himself.

“Who are they?” Jason growled, “I’ll fucking kill them. No one.  _ No one _ , not  _ ever _ _ -” _

“No Jason,” Dick said firmly, then sighed, “Most of them are dead anyway now so it doesn’t matter.”

“It matters.” Jason snarled.  _ You matter. Your pain fucking  _ _ matters.  _ _ Fuck everyone who doesn’t see how- how- _

Jason wasn’t good with words. He didn’t know how to say any of that. To make Dick  _ understand. _

“I can’t let it bug me Jason.” Dick said tiredly, “It just seems to be one of the things that come with how I look. I deal with it.”

And that- no no nonononono! Jason wanted to scream at him. But he also understood what he was talking about. He remembered what it was like to be a pretty pretty boy all alone on the streets. But he never really thought of Dick having to deal with that shit. Like yeah, people got sleazy about him fucking quick, but Dick had always seemed oblivious to it so Jason had kinda thought he was at least a little safe from some of the nasty the world had to offer. He supposed that was foolish: no protege of Batman was ever truly oblivious. 

What was more was that Dick had likely learned to downplay it as a nothing because people tended to treat male sexual victimization like some kind hilarious joke. It was honestly a lot of the same disgusting behaviors that were often turned on girls. Whereas with girls bystanders might see it as contested right/wrong (or only contested until Jason shot the fuckers who thought it was ok in the head) with boys it just became invisible. There was no protection. It made Jason so pissed he was practically seeing red. He clasped his hands together so they wouldn’t shake.

“You know… you  _ know _ how fucked up that is. That it’s not alright.” Jason insisted through clenched teeth.

“Really, Jason-” Dick protested.

“Sure. So when the wolves start descending on lovely jailbait Replacement you’re, what, going to tell him he just has to ‘deal with it’ because that’s how he looks? Yeah fucking right.” Jason snorted.

“No! God no, of course not!” Dick said sounding just as horrified as he should be. 

“Then don’t tell yourself that.” Jason shot back glaring at him.

Dick opened his mouth. Then closed it and looked away. Jason heard him take a long slow breath. 

“You should really stop calling him ‘replacement’ Jason, that’s not really fair to Tim.” Dick said at last.

So he didn’t want to talk about that anymore. That was fine. 

“Life’s not fair, he should get used to it while he’s young,” Jason growled, Dick looked like he really wanted to say something to that but- “He shouldn’t be Robin. No one should be after what happened to me. Fuck, even I shouldn’t really have been.”

Even though being Robin had been  _ everything _ to him-

“I can’t say I haven’t ever thought that,” Dick said slowly, and Jason internally winced because- “I was… pretty betrayed when Bruce made you Robin. It was so much of who I was I’d never even considered it to be something I could  _ lose. _ Even after Bruce fired me. And he didn’t even  _ tell _ me, he just made you Robin just like… it was my mother’s special name for me. It was more  _ me _ than anything-”

And damn sometimes Jason really wanted to beat the shit out of Bruce. Wanted scream and rage and  _ protect… _

“So what I’ve saying is, I guess, I get it. But Tim really made me see the way that some things should never be allowed to die. And I hope you can kind of come to see it too. He’s a good kid.” Dick said fondly.

It was times like this Jason was reminded that Dick was really so much of a better person than he was. He was a little salty about it sometimes. Just a bit. A lot a bit. To the degree of pettieness that sometimes he hated Dick’s perfect-fucking-guts. Except for all the ways he didn’t.

“Do you ever think about how messed up it is?” Jason mumbled.

“Gonna have to be more specific than that Little Wing.” said Dick with a rueful smile.

“Just… sending kids into this fucked up war?” Jason clarified. He thought of Tim’s wide trusting blue eyes. Of a younger Dick and his laughter. Of all the Titans he’d met.

“Jason...” Dick said his expression falling.

“Like, it’s messed up, right? If we weren’t vigilantes… if we found kids who were getting as hurt as often as we were and their parents/guardians were responsible, fuck if they even  _ knew _ , we’d have called child services on them. We’d have called it abuse, or at least failure to protect. If we’d even been left alone as much as we were in the Manor it’d be neglect.” Jason said staring at his hands.

“I…” Dick hesitated.

“Do you know what I do to fuckers who fuck kids up?” Jason said bleakly.

“I’d have gone out anyway. Probably joined gotten killed too without Bruce’s training.” Dick pointed softly.

“And I’d have probably gotten killed in a gang war somewhere. Never would have stayed in some rich guy’s house it had felt like a charity case rather than something where I could see that he needed me. Batman or not, I wouldn’t have trusted his motives. Would have robbed him and ran,” Jason sighed, “Still, if I ever have kids, you can bet I’ll not let them on the streets. I’d teach ‘em how fight and defend themselves if they want, and if they want to when they’re adults then fuck I’m not the one to stop them but-”

“Jason,” Dick said and Jason saw him leaning towards him out of the corner of his eye, “When you stabbed Tim, were you just jealous or were you actually trying to protect him by trying to make him quit?”

“Can’t it be both?” laughed Jason humorlessly. 

“You’re making it real hard not to come over there and hug the life out of you Little Wing.” Dick commented with fucked sounding laugh, “I should have guessed. Even at your most brutal, you’ve always tried to protect the kids. Non-orthodox methods aside.”

“Whatever.” Jason said looking away, “Jus’... look after the Replacement, ‘kay Dickie? You’ll be better at it than I will. B said he would, but after everything I don’t trust shit that comes out of his mouth.”

“Bruce wouldn’t lie about something like that.” Dick said loyally. Jason couldn’t help but notice that Dick didn’t claim that Bruce would protect Tim or keep him out of harm's way.

“You and I know that doesn’t- it’s not enough. And Bruce has had plenty of chances to shape up and he hasn’t. If anything he’s more distant with the kid than he was with you and me.” Jason dragged a frustrated hand through his hair, “Only talked to the kid once and he’s way too serious for someone his age. Seems like a bit of loner. And with Bruce being how he is… that place could totally fuck him up.”

“I know…” sighed Dick, “I worry about that too.”

“More than that,  _ Ra’s _ is developing a complex over him.” growled Jason furiously, “getting positively fixated. You might even say  _ obsessive. _ ”

“Oh god.” Dick looked horrified. And Jason was abruptly grateful for someone who  _ got _ what that really meant. At the same time… that had to sound sickeningly familiar to Dick. 

“What happened to us… it can’t happen to another Robin. Never again.” Jason closed his eyes trying to breathe through his fury.

Dick crossed over to him and uncurled his clenched fist where his nails were making little bloody crescents in his palms. His eyes were bright and  _ hard _ .

“Never Ever.” Dick promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep going back and forth on how I want the JayDick to play out. Like, on the one hand, Dick is a pretty physically affectionate person and in many ways it’d be major victory for them to get into a healthy sexual relationship. It could be quite redemptive. On the other hand, Dick’s been getting sexualized and objectified pretty much since he was in short pants by the writers. It’d also be pretty special to get into a nonsexual romantic relationship with Jason. Like, after everything if he gets to have a really close relationship that’s about *him and not his body.  
> As I said: very conflicted.

**Author's Note:**

> Writing is a peculiar thing that happens when both free-time and inspiration meet. 
> 
> Free-time is especially hard to come by.
> 
> Come bother me on [Tumblr!](https://wellthatjusthappend.tumblr.com/)


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